Which R/C vehicle are you looking to zoom around the office/home?

Sup yall. Just a FYI the helicopters listed here are not the same as the little helicopters at the mall. They are CCPM helicopters that can and will put you in the emergency room if they hit you.

Not only that but the price here is about $70 more then they go for.

http://www.leaderhobby.com/product.asp?ID=com99835

They are hobby grade Trex 450 clone helicopters and you should be able to find parts locally under the Align brand name. But if you dont know how to fly one you will crash it and it will not be covered by warranty. Warrantys on Hobby grade R/C is just a hey it does not work out of the box type thing.

Love the nearly-palindromic title for this one.

these are real hobby grade choppers and 1/8 scale cars

I'm a little confused. The picture shows a gas buggy but in the description it says it uses a brush-less motor, but then later it calls it a nitro buggy.... So is this a gas truck as pictured or electric?? I'm looking at the $240 red white and blue buggy.

There's all sorts of things to be said about this stuff. I will discuss the RC Cars, as this is what I have experience in.

First, These are NOT your 'Radio Shack' RC toys... This is the start of the 'Big Boy' class of fun; they require constant maintenance and care, just like you would expect from a real vehicle.

Second, you WILL break parts on these. They top out easily over 35 MPH. Imagine throwing the car into a wall, and that's pretty much the same thing that will happen when you run it into a roadside curb full-throttle. Find yourself a local Hobby shop that carries these parts, as you WILL be replacing them all the time.

Third, prepare to spend more money on this hobby outside of the initial purchase. Parts will run you on average $5 per replacement, depending on what it is you broke. You will want to get a tool kit for the model cars, and that'll be another $20. You want a better charger than the stock charger that comes with it, and thats another $40. You'll need extra batteries, which can cost anywhere from $20-$60 for LiPos. AND you'll need a bag and containers to start putting all the extra pieces and parts in.

Fourth, LiPos are awesomely dangerous. They require additional care and maintenance than you would expect. PLEASE read up and understand how they work, otherwise, you'll catch something/someone on fire if you're not attentive.

For more details on the batteries, check out this page for an all-inclusive read: http://www.rchelicopterfun.com/rc-lipo-batteries.html

My personal opinion on these brands? On the one hand, they look solid; they come with a LiPo right off the bat, and are 4WD and come with Brushless Motors, so it can't be all bad. On the other, Looks like they're a Chinese company, and the ZD Racing branding they put on the box doesn't mean much, so support and parts will prolly be more an exercise in frustration down the line.

carlcampbelljr wrote:Sup yall. Just a FYI the helicopters listed here are not the same as the little helicopters at the mall. They are CCPM helicopters that can and will put you in the emergency room if they hit you.

Not only that but the price here is about $70 more then they go for.

http://www.leaderhobby.com/product.asp?ID=com99835

They are hobby grade Trex 450 clone helicopters and you should be able to find parts locally under the Align brand name. But if you dont know how to fly one you will crash it and it will not be covered by warranty. Warrantys on Hobby grade R/C is just a hey it does not work out of the box type thing.

I just wanted to add some other things (Plane related) for those interested in possibly getting involved in this hobby. I started flying R/C about 2 years ago, and here is what I found helpful during my learning process:

1. DO NOT use standard super glue on your foam plane.

2. Your foam plane may only weigh 3lbs, but when it hits that jogger in the head at 40mph when you lose control...expect a lawsuit.

3. Wind is your enemy; even a gentle breeze on the ground means nothing when you are soaring above at 40ft or more. Maybe even less, I don't judge height distances well.

4. True sims, even though they are expensive, are fun and educational and in the end save you a nice bit of money from saving you from those several newbie crashes.

5. Do not assume that the ailerons, elevators or rudder are even close to being set true out of the box.

6. Low rates are your friend.

7. LiPo batteries this size (all sizes really) are to be treated with respect. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, and never use a bloated, punctured or hot battery. These things do catch fire, and nothing screams "civil suit" more than when your beloved plane becomes a plummeting mess of fiery foam and plastic.

8. You need a runway 4 times longer to land than you do to take off. Remember to consider what your prop is doing when you land, and where it will go when you land.

9. Do your research, these are toys, but are adult toys, and should be treated as such. Join an R/C forum and get introduced. Many can help you find flying fields, which is very useful as a plane this size needs at least an acre of open ground or more to fly safely.

My opinion on the plane offered is:

While not the most difficult design to fly, it is not particularly good for new flyers. The mid wing design will make the plane more sensitive to roll than a shoulder wing, allowing easily for someone to bank far harder than needed. This can be mitigated with low rates, and ample time using a quality sim. My favorite is RealFlight. It seems to be a pretty decent plane for outdoor flying on an adequate field (maybe a collection of soccer fields). With its weight being 3.3lbs per the manufacturers website, it will be quite susceptible to wind. I would not try to fly this in winds at ground level above 5-10mph without at least 1-200 hours of time logged flying. If I hadn't already spent my toy money this month I would by this, and probably that nitro car too. The deal is pretty good, and would be a good step up to a "park flyer" sized plane.

OH yeah forgot to mention the radio that comes with the helicopters is a computer mixing radio. It is programmed using a USB dongle and the t6 configuration program. They are Flysky protocol but depending on the model recieved. A 6A is pretty much worthless but the 6B recievers are compatible with the TH9x/9x/er9x radio. The ESC and motor combo used is not bad. The radio is decent if it is the 6b, The included LiPo is not bad either. Although Amped up is not a brand I have ever heard of It charges and flys just fine. I have one of these knock off 450's and for a while leaders hobby had the bare bones kits for $9. So i picked up 1 RTF and 5 kits for about $150 before shipping. I fly I crash I rebuild. The ESC and Motor have moved from each heli to the next, the stock servo's stripped out on the first crash and were replaced with HX900's at the cost of about $3 each.

There are plenty of tutorials out there for setting up Trex 450 compatible helicopters. And I use a mixture of Align and no name hobby parts. This helicopter is also sold as a HK450v2 (hobbyking.com) EXI 450 (xheli.com) and various other names the key is Trex compatible.

These RC Helis are "mid-size" battery-powered. They can do acrobatics (aerobatics?) but not as long or as hard as the nitro-powered ones.

Here's a guide to R/C helis written by yours truly.

http://kschang.hubpages.com/hub/Guide-to-Remote-Control-Model-Helicopters-what-is-2-3-35-4-and-6-channel-Gyro-What-to-look-for-and-what-to-buy

skatingbrit3 wrote:I just wanted to add some other things (Plane related) for those interested in possibly getting involved in this hobby. I started flying R/C about 2 years ago, and here is what I found helpful during my learning process:
(snipsnipsnip)

This is a quality post, right? This HAS to be a quality post.

kschang wrote:These RC Helis are "mid-size" battery-powered. They can do acrobatics (aerobatics?) but not as long or as hard as the nitro-powered ones.

Here's a guide to R/C helis written by yours truly.

http://kschang.hubpages.com/hub/Guide-to-Remote-Control-Model-Helicopters-what-is-2-3-35-4-and-6-channel-Gyro-What-to-look-for-and-what-to-buy

I disagree... Electrics are as powerful if not more, than nitro. You are only correct in stating, a nitro gets more flight time then electric helis.

I would also like to reiterate, this heli is NOT a toy. It will do some nasty damage if you are not extremely careful... Lipo batteries can cause fires, if not properly charged, please read the manufacturers recommendations. If it comes with a charger, use it, and use it correctly. If you need to buy your own charger, please visit your local hobby shop, and ask them for assistance in choosing the right charger for you.

Also, I highly suggest picking a simulator, (ie. Real flight and Phoenix are two of the better ones.) before even attempting to fly your new heli. You would be surprised how difficult these can be for a first timer. I would much rather you enjoy your new hobby, rather then spending all your time fixing it...

good luck,
joe_breezy

Does anyone know if the Truggys come with different/adjustable crystal frequencies so we can play with 2 or 3 at the same time?

a la

http://rcvehicles.about.com/od/glossary/g/crystal.htm

deegolden wrote:Does anyone know if the Truggys come with different/adjustable crystal frequencies so we can play with 2 or 3 at the same time?

a la

http://rcvehicles.about.com/od/glossary/g/crystal.htm

They use 2.4ghz. the reciever binds with the transmitter like a laptop to a wireless AP. Using Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum transmission. It is possible to use many transmitter and reciever pairs with out the worry of interferance or the hassle of Crystals like the old AM radios used.

That and no big whip antennas to break.

Am I missing something? Why are the choppers so expensive?

Wow, I can' t belive Woot would sell stuff like this. These are realy cheap rc cars, and for the price that they are charging, I would rather choose from the selection that Nitrorcx.com has. Don't buy this junk.

shabazz18 wrote:Am I missing something? Why are the choppers so expensive?

Because these are not toy helicopters. They are hobby grade helicopters. If you have never flown a helicopter before and you try to fly these you are garunteed to crash.

carlcampbelljr wrote:Sup yall. Just a FYI the helicopters listed here are not the same as the little helicopters at the mall. They are CCPM helicopters that can and will put you in the emergency room if they hit you.

Not only that but the price here is about $70 more then they go for.

http://www.leaderhobby.com/product.asp?ID=com99835

They are hobby grade Trex 450 clone helicopters and you should be able to find parts locally under the Align brand name. But if you dont know how to fly one you will crash it and it will not be covered by warranty. Warrantys on Hobby grade R/C is just a hey it does not work out of the box type thing.

How are you coming up with $70 too expensive? Your link is for one that is $9 more than woot.

cfloater wrote:I'm a little confused. The picture shows a gas buggy but in the description it says it uses a brush-less motor, but then later it calls it a nitro buggy.... So is this a gas truck as pictured or electric?? I'm looking at the $240 red white and blue buggy.

Looks like the red one is a Nitro powered buggy and the blue one is a brushless motor. Electric is quieter and less stinky. Gas sounds really cool. There is also a break in period for the nitro motors so they can't be ran right out of the box.

shabazz18 wrote:Am I missing something? Why are the choppers so expensive?

An RTF 450 clone for $120 is a bargain.

If considering between Nitro or Electric buggy, I would go with the Electric because it's actually RTR. The Nitro version needs additional Nitro ($34/gallon) and 4AA for the receiver, whereas the electric one works completely off of the two (2) included 4000mah Lipo batteries.

This particular Electric buggy has a couple different set-up options straight out of the box which is nice. I can be connected in series for 4s (14.8v 4000mah) operation with top speed of 50mph or you can choose to run the lipos in parallel (2s 7.4v 8000mah) to get double the run-time but a lower top speed of around 25-30mph (good option to start with and get a feel for the car and it's responsiveness).

This buggy also has very good specs comparable to my $700 Brushless Traxxas REVO. A 2100kv motor and 120amp ESC is about as much Power as this drivetrain could possible take without damage (at 4s 14.4v operation). I cannot tell from the specs (as there isn't enough information) but I am almost certain the ESC and Motor setup is made by Hobbywing, which is an excellent manufacturer of hobbygrade components, and I've personally had great success with their ESC's and motors for over 4 years now without issue.

Now, although the electronics pushing the vehicle seems to be good components, I am not so sure about the vehicle itself. It seems to have a ton of plastic for 1/8 scale, for example, the entire chasis is plastic when Alluminum chasis are Standard in 1/8 scale. So I do not see this lasting too long if your doing any bashing, but shouldn't be a problem if your only gonna do speed runs up and down your street! (just don't hit a curb!)

All that said, shop around. A quick eBay search brought them up for $169 but I didn't search any further, if I did I might have found them even cheaper!

Good luck!

www.ebay.com/itm/ZD-Racing-9006-1-8-Scale-4WD-Brushless-Electric-Buggy-RTR-/320957190392

10% off? Really? That's on Woot???

I don't shop woot for 10% off. Who does?

Bring it back.!!!!!!!!!

I got the $95, 1/16, LiPo, Brushless truck. Came in the mail on Tuesday. On Friday I finally got the battery charged and went to try it out. Turned on the transmitter (which only needed 4 instead of 8 batteries). Plugged in the battery and flipped the switch on the ESC. Tried the steering first and the wheels went back and forth fine. Eased into the throttle and could hear the motor spin, but the truck didn't move. Pop the body off and look inside and "hey, there's your problem" the motor shaft is sheared off and the pinion is sitting below it in the body. So, I need a new motor ...

Woot, is it possible to just send back the motor, or do I have to send back the whole thing?

eightyh wrote:I got the $95, 1/16, LiPo, Brushless truck. Came in the mail on Tuesday. On Friday I finally got the battery charged and went to try it out. Turned on the transmitter (which only needed 4 instead of 8 batteries). Plugged in the battery and flipped the switch on the ESC. Tried the steering first and the wheels went back and forth fine. Eased into the throttle and could hear the motor spin, but the truck didn't move. Pop the body off and look inside and "hey, there's your problem" the motor shaft is sheared off and the pinion is sitting below it in the body. So, I need a new motor ...

Woot, is it possible to just send back the motor, or do I have to send back the whole thing?

If you contact the manufacturer, you may be able to get a replacement motor!

If you have any trouble with them, or need more options for your problematic truck, go ahead and let support@woot.com know the story so they can see how best to help you.

Anyone get the brushless? Mine came with a brushed motor system not brushless... the only reason i ordered this was for the brushless...also the deck is all plastic? no aluminum??

•Powerful 540-level 3600Kv Brushless Electric motor

•Aircraft grade T6 aluminum upper deck

dsdrums1 wrote:Anyone get the brushless?

Hi dsdrums1, I got the brushless 1/16th truck and the motor is indeed brushless (3 wires) the upper deck is aluminum also. Sounds like you got the wrong truck.

I haven't run mine yet because it was DOA. I am waiting for a reply from the support company about my broken motor shaft. Sad little guy sits there on the shelf, I can tell he wants to go outside and run.

Bought 2 for my little brothers for xmas. After less than an hour of running on a dirt road, one started grinding the front diff under throttle. We took it apart thinking that maybe we could shim it or something, it turns out the whole diff was trashed (plastic). In about 20 minutes, the second truck did exactly the same thing. Front diffs in both cases are slipping badly enough to make them undrivable.

With no upgrades, the OEM parts (motor/ESC) managed to overpower the drivetrain... Looks like they just strapped a brushless motor to their brushed (roller) chassis and never bothered to test. Working on a return now...

Rowdy1124 wrote:Bought 2 for my little brothers for xmas. After less than an hour of running on a dirt road, one started grinding the front diff under throttle. We took it apart thinking that maybe we could shim it or something, it turns out the whole diff was trashed (plastic). In about 20 minutes, the second truck did exactly the same thing. Front diffs in both cases are slipping badly enough to make them undrivable.

With no upgrades, the OEM parts (motor/ESC) managed to overpower the drivetrain... Looks like they just strapped a brushless motor to their brushed (roller) chassis and never bothered to test. Working on a return now...

Yuck, good luck with the return. tech@emphobby.com was very helpful with sending me a replacement motor. Mine is up and running, but I haven't used it too much, so I don't know if it will suffer a similar diff failure.